Well, if this is global warming, I’ll eat my hat!! Tell it to folks up in the northern states who have umpteen feet of snow and still coming down. I saw pictures of houses that were snowed in…..only the door was scooped clear so folks could get out. I commend them for the weather they are suffering and doing it without whining. Neighbor helping neighbor is the American way. God bless them!

In my own little piece of real-estate the ground is covered but not very deep. I suppose we got about four to five inches in two different snows. The temperature is about 7* with winds howling up to 40mph wind gusts and it freezes my hands before I can even get to the bird feeding areas.

The wind is blowing snow and it looks like smoke from a fire. Just swirling and being driven by the hard north-west winds. I cannot imagine the toll this is taking on ranchers and the wild life that will have to suffer through. So many young calves that may not make it……I hate when the weather turns lethal.

I work hard to keep my song birds, even to the point that I have to feed the ugly big black birds that come in droves to feed. They hounded the feeders to the point all of my cardinals and others as well were sitting on branches, hoping to get some feed before it was all gone. I knew I couldn’t keep them all going with what little feed I had so I drove over to the MFA feed store and bought 100# of black sunflower seed and 50 # of hen scratch. I put about 25# out when I got back and I’ll put more out towards evening.

Water is crucial. I only have a heater for one birdbath and the black birds flop around in it taking baths. I sure don’t see why they would do that but by the time they drink and bathe the other birds do without. I go out as often as I can with refills and some of the smaller birds get a drink when the big ones fly up.

Napoleon was out and filled up on the sunflower seeds with the other birds and I haven’t seen him since. He is probably laying on the leeward side of the house out of the wind. We have two more days of intense cold weather before we get a break on Sunday. It will be a while before the outdoor critters will feel much comfort. If I can keep them fed they will have a better chance….at least for the ones I can do for.

I hope you are warm and safe from the weather wherever you are. As long as the power stays on we will be OK here. It’s times like this we realize why we need to draw on faith. There is nothing man can do to deter the weather except through the grace of God.

Essentially Esther